Gapay joins virtual conference with Indo-Pacific armies

MANILA – As the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) put a halt to all physical meetings and exercises, Philippine Army (PA) commander, Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, participated in the virtual Indo-Pacific Landpower Conference hosted by the United States Army Pacific (Usarpac) from Wednesday to Thursday.

In a statement Friday, Army spokesperson, Col. Ramon Zagala, said the virtual conference was conducted in place of the Land Forces Pacific (Lanpac) Symposium and Exhibition 2020 in Hawaii, which was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Usarpac commander, Gen. Paul J. LaCamerahas, invited military and government senior leaders across the Indo-Pacific theater in the virtual conference with the theme “Preserving a Free and Open Indo-Pacific While Operating During and Post Covid-19”.

“While the world is reeling from the effects of the pandemic, it is imperative that the resulting security challenges be discussed by countries in the Indo-Pacific region to learn from each other's best practices and allow us to respond properly," Gapay said.

The two-day videoconference focused on the present-day security challenges and ways forward within the Indo-Pacific region amid the pandemic crisis.

Keynote speakers composed of senior general officers of the US Armed Forces and British Army discussed pressing security issues, which were further elaborated by a panel of experts coming from various military and civilian organizations.

"The PA values international cooperation more than ever as the organization, along with the entire Filipino nation, adapts to the new normal," Gapay added. (PNA)